Compare towns
Barre vs Marshfield vs South Barre
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Barre has the most renters (49.6% rent).
Marshfield has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
South Barre has the oldest population (median age 52.7).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Barre | Marshfield | South Barre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,412Highest |
470Lowest |
1,346 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.2%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | -2.1%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 42.2±6.6Lowest about the VT average |
42.4±8.8 about the VT average |
52.7±2.6Highest 22% above VT |
| South Barre and Marshfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.5%±3.8 VT: 17.9% |
19.4%±9.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
9.9%±5.9Lowest VT: 17.9% |
| Marshfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±3.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
10.2%±4.4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
11.5%±4.1 VT: 21.4% |
| Barre and South Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36.1%Highest VT: 43.8% |
35.7% VT: 43.8% |
34.7%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.9 VT: 7% |
3.6%±2.4Highest VT: 7% |
0.8%±1.5Lowest VT: 7% |
| Marshfield and Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,625±$7kLowest 19% below VT |
$84,375±$20kHighest 4% above VT |
$78,050±$16k 4% below VT |
| Marshfield and South Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $210,400±$15k 34% below VT |
$178,300±$31kLowest 44% below VT |
$257,600±$25kHighest 19% below VT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,093±$58Lowest 11% below VT |
$1,125±$79 9% below VT |
$1,609±$371Highest 30% above VT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,192Highest 3% above VT |
$3,269Lowest 35% below VT |
$4,750 6% below VT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.4%±10.3Lowest VT: 48.4% |
52.4%±62.4Highest VT: 48.4% |
36.1%±40.7 VT: 48.4% |
| Marshfield and South Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 17.3%Highest VT: 10.1% |
4.9%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
7.4% VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 50.4%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
81.2% VT: 73.2% |
82.7%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1947 29 yrs older than VT |
1938Lowest 38 yrs older than VT |
1969Highest 7 yrs older than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 21% below VT |
29 minHighest 24% above VT |
15 minLowest 36% below VT |
| Work from home | 10.5%±4.1Lowest VT: 16.9% |
17.5%±7.2Highest VT: 16.9% |
16.5%±10.5 VT: 16.9% |
| Marshfield and South Barre are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #19 of 70 in VT | — | — |
| School district | Barre Unified Union School District #97 · Central Vermont Career Center | — | — |
| High school in town | Spaulding Union High School | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.